


better homes and gardens

by cjmasim



Series: everything must go [2]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: (between danton and ryan), Bedsharing, Break Up, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Moving Out, background Jake/Charlie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-23 00:50:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23036491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjmasim/pseuds/cjmasim
Summary: The van pulls out of the driveway, and now it's just Danton, Zdeno, Jake, and the moving truck. It's almost eerily silent, something Danton's not sure he's ever experienced in Jake's presence. They're probably waiting for him to say something, wanting to give him all the time he could possibly need.The thing is, there's no amount of time that will ever prepare him to just walk away. He could stand here on the lawn for the rest of his life, until global warming eventually wipes out Hingham and the house is destroyed, and he still wouldn't be truly ready. He doesn't think he evercanbe.He's moving out, and his heart is just as shattered as it was when Ryan threw his ring across the bedroom and stormed out, and he has to move on. He has to.
Relationships: Danton Heinen/Sean Kuraly, Ryan Donato/Danton Heinen
Series: everything must go [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1655578
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	better homes and gardens

**Author's Note:**

  * For [big_zs_d_stan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/big_zs_d_stan/gifts).



> guess who's the first emo gay to post a kureinen fic after the trade 😎 don't worry i started this fic months ago and the trade absolutely doesn't happen bc it's already an au that relies on the donato trade having happened a few years later than it actually did. also, this is a sequel to my fic [Bruins Buy Outside of Boston](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15134561), which i wrote a long ass time ago in the era BK (Before Kureinen). since kureinen is love, kureinen is life, i had to find a way to fix that fic... hence this. 
> 
> and since rachel has always been an official Rabid Kureinener and a big supporter of the Break Up Danton and Ryan movement, as well as the world's number 1 bedsharing stannie, it seemed only right to dedicate this fic to her. it's supposed to be a birthday fic but it's been like 2 whole months and change so like,,, better late than never ig. anyway i love u rachel and kureinen would be nothing without you so i hope u enjoy uwu cuppies.jpg
> 
> if you or someone you know is in this fic, don't read it, etc etc 
> 
> the title comes from better homes and gardens by taking back sunday, and the plot basically comes from that + everything must go, by the same band. so thanks adam lazzara for sharing your life experiences to contribute to the art of kureinen fic, very fun and sexy of you
> 
> enjoy!

"I think that's everything," Anders says, swiping a hand across his forehead. Next to him, Matt does the same, though Danton knows he isn't tired. He watched them carry the couch out and knows Anders did at least 85% of the work. 

"We'll just get going then," Brandon says. He hasn't worked up a sweat at all, not even from making out with Connor for half the afternoon, but Danton appreciates the moral support. "Zee's driving you to Jake's, right?" Danton nods. "Okay. Good luck, and you know we're always here for you Danton. Take as long as you need."

Danton's not sure how to respond, but he doesn't have to. Brandon opens the door to Chris' minivan, holding it open for Anders, Connor, Matt, Sean, and Charlie McAvoy to get in before he joins them in the back. Chris takes the driver's seat, Charlie Coyle getting in the passenger's seat, and Danton almost wants to laugh at how Chris looks like a soccer mom driving a van full of children. He even has the tacky wraparound sunglasses. 

The van pulls out of the driveway, and now it's just Danton, Zdeno, Jake, and the moving truck. It's almost eerily silent, something Danton's not sure he's ever experienced in Jake's presence. They're probably waiting for him to say something, wanting to give him all the time he could possibly need. 

The thing is, there's no amount of time that will ever prepare him to just walk away. He could stand here on the lawn for the rest of his life, until global warming eventually wipes out Hingham and the house is destroyed, and he still wouldn't be truly ready. He doesn't think he ever _can_ be. 

It's not like Danton's never been through a breakup before. It's just that Ryan was the first guy he moved in with, the first guy he came out to the whole world with, the first guy he bought a house with, the first guy he got a dog with, the first guy he planned to start a family with. And now Ryan's in Minnesota with the dog and a new boyfriend, all the furniture is gone, half the renovations they planned to do were never done, he's never going to have a kid named Thomas Shelby Donato-Heinen, and he's moving out of the house he thought would be his forever.

He's moving out, and his heart is just as shattered as it was when Ryan threw his ring across the bedroom and stormed out, and he has to move on. He has to. 

He's better off without Ryan. He knows this, and he's known it for a lot longer than he cares to admit. Anyone's better off without Ryan, really.

-

_A harsh ringing sound pulls Danton out of sleep, and a glance toward the window to see that it's still dark outside is all he needs to know that it's too early. He closes his eyes, ready to go back to sleep, when he hears Ryan speak._

_"Hey Keats, what's up?"_

_It's his agent. Danton shoots up in bed, suddenly awake and overcome with fear. A call from Ryan's agent in the early hours of the morning couldn't possibly be a good thing._

_Ryan doesn't sound afraid, though. "Oh shit, for real? That's great, man. Thank you so much, I - wow. That's more than I expected, honestly. Ha, no worries, I'm used to the cold."_

_Danton really, really doesn't want to think about what that might mean._

_"Oh yeah, I'll take care of it. Thanks again man, take care. Bye." Ryan hangs up the phone and turns to face Danton._

_"What was that?" Danton asks, heart racing, so quietly he can barely hear himself. It doesn't matter. Ryan knows what he's thinking._

_"I requested a trade," Ryan says. His voice is flat, emotionless; Danton wonders if he's just hearing things._

_"You - you what?"_

_"I'm going to Minnesota."_

_"No, no, you can't-" Danton wants to ask why, wants to ask what the hell Ryan was thinking; more than anything, he wants to wake up from this nightmare. But he's frozen._

_"Look," Ryan sighs. "Whatever we had is done. It wasn't working, and I wasn't going to stick around and try to pretend I'm happy with this. I didn't want to fuck up the team dynamics, so I figured I'd just leave and then break up with you. Makes it easier for everyone. And hey, you guys are getting Charlie Coyle back. Another local kid. Maybe he'll want to move in with you."_

_It's starting to feel more and more like this can't be real, but Danton knows it is. He would've woken up by now._

_"Where is this coming from?"_

_Ryan laughs humorlessly. "You're not fucking stupid, Heinen. When was the last time we did something other than play hockey together?"_

_"I thought - I thought you were just, I don't know, going through a lot, or upset at your minutes being lowered or being benched or - fuck, I thought - I thought we were going to get married - I was already looking at venues and suits and-" his voice is breaking, but he does nothing to stop it._

_"Yeah, no, that was never going to happen," Ryan says. "Maybe once upon a time I wanted it to, but I mean, come on. We were never actually compatible." Danton watches as he pulls the ring off his finger._

_"I - what?"_

_"Come on, don't be fucking dumb," Ryan says. "Do we really need to keep doing this? I need to pack and catch a flight in, like, four hours."_

_"You - okay, no, you don't get to try to make me feel guilty for being surprised you just - just fucking broke up with me out of nowhere when you've apparently been lying to me this whole fucking time." Distantly, Danton thinks he's proud of himself for that one._

_"Fuck you," Ryan spits. "I don't have to fucking deal with you anymore. It's not my fault you were too oblivious to see it coming." He throws the ring across the room, walks out, and slams the door. Danton stares at the dent where the ring hit the wall, just barely visible in the light of the rising sun, and it finally hits him._

-

It's been three weeks and it's still nearly impossible for him to imagine a future with anyone else, but moving out of the house should help. And really, if he's honest, the house kind of sucked. It was beautiful, sure, but Danton doesn't want to live in the fucking suburbs. Not until he's retired, anyway. 

Living with Jake will be temporary, just a respite from the confines of the house where his life came crashing down until he finds his own place, but Danton's already excited for his commute to practice to not take an hour each way. It'll be good to move on.

Danton doesn't need to take a final look at the house. He's seen enough of it.

"I just want to go," he says, quietly enough that he's not sure anyone hears him. "I'm ready."

Zdeno places a hand on his shoulder. "Here's to the future, yeah?"

They get in the cab of the moving truck, Danton squished in the middle while Zdeno drives and Jake repeats the instructions from the GPS on his phone. He doesn't turn it off until they pull into his driveway, and Danton wonders if Jake actually knows how to get to his apartment without using the GPS. Probably not.

-

After they get Danton's belongings moved into Jake's spare bedroom, the two of them agree immediately that it's time for a nap. Zdeno wishes them well and asks Danton to let him know when he's ready to start looking at apartments, and as soon as he leaves, they get into bed. 

When Danton wakes up, he's momentarily surprised to see Jake standing in the doorway before he remembers where he is. 

"Hey bro," Jake says. "I'm about to order food so I figured I'd wake you up. What do you want to eat?"

"Uh," Danton tries to think. "I don't know. Not Oreos."

Jake laughs. "Nah man, that's dessert. I was thinking pizza. And before you ask, it's okay to break the nutrition plan once in a while."

"Yeah, sure, if you say so," Danton says. 

"Great! I'll go order it in just a minute. But, uh, how are you doing?"

Danton wonders who instructed Jake to ask him that. He knows Jake cares, but he isn't especially tactful.

"I'm doing better," Danton says. It's the truth. This is the first time since the breakup that he's woken up without feeling like his life is about to come crashing down. Maybe it's because he wasn't woken by an alarm. "It's good to just be out of that house, and all those memories, you know?"

Jake nods, and Danton remembers that he's been in a similar situation. Maybe he and his ex weren't at the point of engagement, and she only lived with him half of the time, but he remembers Jake wasted no time in moving to his current apartment after they broke up for the last time. He feels bad for assuming someone told Jake to check on him. 

"It helps so much more than you'd ever imagine," Jake says. "I mean, shit, especially if you were in your bedroom when it happened. Horrible vibes, bro."

"Yeah," Danton agrees. "I kept looking at different things around the house, like the renovations we still hadn't gotten around to, and the beer cans in the basement trash from all the parties he'd throw for his friends from high school, and I just - I feel like I should have seen it coming."

"Everything is clearer in blindsight," Jake says. 

"You mean hindsight?"

"Yeah, that," Jake waves his hand. "You know what I mean. But hey, things will get easier, and you always have me, bro."

Danton smiles. "Thanks."

"Now, are you willing to try putting an Oreo on a pizza-"

Danton laughs. "Dude, no way."

"I was just trying to get you to laugh," Jake claims. Danton doesn't buy it, but he lets it go. It's nice to have company, and he's always liked hanging out with Jake. Things are looking up for the first time in a while.

-

It's been a few years since Danton's roomed with someone other than Ryan on the road. Ever since Ryan first signed with the Bruins, before they started dating, they'd been roommates. Of course, now he's gone, and the roommates are being reshuffled. That's not unusual for the beginning of the season, but it still feels weird. Wrong. 

"Hey." Sean drops his bag on the bed closest to the door, leaving Danton the bed closest to the window. He and Ryan always took the bed closest to the door, so this is perfect. "Guess we're roommates now."

"Been a while," Danton says. They'd briefly lived with Jake when they all played in Providence, but it all feels so long ago now. 

"I told Jake and Pasta I'd hang with them tonight, but they're rooming with Mac and Gryz and neither of them want to stay up late," Sean says. "Is it cool if we hang in here?"

"Kicking me out already?" Danton jokes. "Nah, that's cool."

"You can join us," Sean says. "I mean, I want you to join us, if you want to. I miss hanging out with you."

"Oh," Danton says. It's true that he and Sean hung out a lot more before he moved out to the suburbs with Ryan, and even more so before they started dating, but Danton figured they'd just drifted apart.

"I've missed _you_ , really," Sean adds. "I mean, not that we didn't see each other at practice and games, but - well, you never really left your house for anything else. I started looking forward to road trips just because I could see you a little bit more. I mean, not that I don't also enjoy the traveling, just, I don't know, you're one of my best friends, you know? And I never really got any alone time with you."

It's a lot to take in, and Danton isn't sure what to say. "I'm sorry," he settles for.

"No, it's okay," Sean says. "It's understandable, you know? And I can't - I mean, it's fine, really. Let's just hang out tonight with the guys, and you know, we'll see each other plenty on road trips, and, uh, I do come over to make sure Jake is eating vegetables sometimes, so, yeah."

Danton could say that he has that duty covered, but he doesn't want to discourage Sean from visiting. He's starting to realize that he missed Sean, too. He hardly ever came over for the parties Ryan would throw in their basement, even when the whole team was invited. He'd always say he agreed to watch his neighbor's kids, but Danton is starting to wonder if he just never liked Ryan. He's never even been to Sean's apartment in the three years he's been living in it. That first year on the team, before Ryan left college and signed, Danton probably spent more time in Sean's apartment than his own. 

"I guess I have a lot that I wish I'd done differently since - since Ryan," Danton says. It's surprisingly honest, but then again, Sean's always made him let down his guard. Ryan was like that too, once upon a time. Danton is not going to think about that.

"Live and learn, right?" Sean offers a smile, and Danton returns it. 

-

Jake and Pasta bring enough friends that Danton realizes this little get-together in his hotel room is really more of a party. They have a game tomorrow, so he's not sure he really wants to be up partying, but at least there isn't any alcohol in sight. Jake, Pasta, Sean, and Anders all settle on Sean's bed, and Brandon and Connor, seeing how cramped the others are, come over to join Danton. 

"Yo, who wants some Gato?" Jake yells. Danton says a silent prayer that Bergy's hotel room is on the other end of the hallway. Jake pulls out a Trader Joe's bag full of Gatorade and hands them out to everyone. 

"Are these spiked?" Sean asks. 

Jake gasps, pretending to be offended. "Why, I would never…"

Danton knows they're not; he hears the seal break as he opens his. Sean doesn't look like he's convinced. 

"So, Danton," Brandon starts. "Connor and I were planning to go see _Black Panther 3_ , you want to come? Uh, I mean, I know we can't really do double dates anymore, but, uh, we like hanging out with you and movies are kind of our thing-"

"Yeah, sounds great," Danton says to put him out of his misery. He's not sure he trusts Brandon and Connor not to just make out beside him the whole time, but he probably deserves it. 

Danton settles into the group conversation more easily than he expected to. It's nice to just hang out, to not feel like he has to devote a certain amount of his attention to one person, to be able to laugh while Jake goes on and on about the type of wood the stick up Ryan's ass was made out of. 

At one point, Jake gets a little _too_ excited, and in hindsight, he probably shouldn't have been gesturing while holding an open bottle of Gatorade.

"Oh shit bro," he says as the guys all jump up from Sean's bed. "Man, that's such a waste of Gato. Oh, and uh, sorry about your bed Sean."

"It's fine," Sean says. "It's probably a sign that we should all be done, anyway. It's getting late."

Jake tries to stay back to help Sean clean the mess, but Sean shoos him out with the others, saying that there's nothing that can be done. He's already dumped water on the blanket to try to get the color out; it's not going to dry. 

"We could ask the front desk for a new blanket," Danton offers. 

"But then everyone will know we were up past curfew," Sean says. "Uh, we could just… share? If that's okay with you?"

Danton's mind fast forwards through several different versions of him sharing a bed with Sean. He hasn't shared with anyone since the breakup, and hasn't shared with anyone platonically since middle school, probably. Would this be platonic? What if Sean doesn't think it is? What if Danton accidentally cuddles him in the middle of the night? 

"Uh, I mean, I don't have to," Sean says. Danton realizes he's been quiet for too long. 

"Oh, no, no, it's okay," he rushes to say. "We can share. It's, uh, a pretty big bed, anyway."

"Cool," Sean replies. He goes to the bathroom to get ready without another word, leaving Danton alone with his thoughts. There's really no reason to be afraid. It's just a bed. It's just _Sean_. Danton trusts him; he always has. 

Danton rushes to the bathroom once Sean comes out, and if Sean finds it weird, he doesn’t say anything. Danton takes his time, half-hoping Sean will already be asleep by the time he returns to the bedroom, but when he finally opens the door and steps out, he can see that Sean is lying in bed looking at his phone. 

Sean doesn't say anything as Danton walks across the room and into the bed, keeping as close to the edge as possible. The bed is large enough to fit both of them with a few inches in between, but it's really not far enough to not feel like they're sharing a bed. Which, okay, they _are_ sharing a bed.

Danton turns to his side, facing away from Sean. If he just pretends he isn't there, he can do this. 

"Goodnight Danny," Sean says. Danton feels the bed shift as he moves to turn the lamp off.

"Goodnight," he mumbles. Sean falls asleep much faster than Danton; it only takes a few minutes to hear the soft snores. At first, Danton thinks he won't be able to sleep all night, but as the minutes drag on he starts to feel more relaxed. He even shifts a little to get more comfortable. 

At some point, he must fall asleep, because the next thing he knows is waking up to the stream of sunlight coming through the window and feeling something pressed against his back. He feels a rush of anxiety before remembering that he's in bed with Sean, and that the thing pressed against his back can only be - well, Sean.

Danton is pretty sure Sean's still asleep. As he wakes up fully, he becomes more aware of the situation he's in. Sean has an arm draped around Danton's waist, and his head is resting on Danton's shoulder. Danton wouldn't be able to move without waking him up, but if he wakes him up, Sean will know he's uncomfortable, but if he doesn't wake Sean up - 

Is he uncomfortable? Danton thinks he feels more comfortable now than he did last night getting into the bed. He's pretty terrified of what this could mean, but at least it feels nice. It's a nice change of pace to be the little spoon for once. He doesn't necessarily want to be with Sean in any way other than friends, but this does feel kind of right. He's not sure he really has the time to unpack this right now, even if he is just trapped in Sean's arms in a hotel bed. He can't even reach his phone without rousing Sean. 

Eventually, Sean does wake up, and it doesn't take long for him to back away. He doesn't say anything at first, but Danton shifts and sits up before he realizes his mistake. He could've just pretended to be asleep. 

"Oh, uh, I'm - I'm sorry, I didn't mean to - um, yeah, my bad," Sean stumbles over his words, not even looking at Danton as he says it. Danton belatedly notices that he's wearing a t-shirt and pajama pants. He didn't even know Sean owned pajama pants; he's never worn them in Danton's presence before.

"It's okay," Danton says. He doesn't know what else to say. _I kind of liked it_ or _Come back over_ aren't really going to work. Probably best to pretend it never happened. 

-

Several weeks pass without another mention of the bedsharing incident, and Danton is starting to feel like things have reached a new normal. He and Sean are hanging out on a regular basis again, he's genuinely friends with everyone on the team again, and he's not sure he even bothers to think of Ryan once a day. They play Minnesota at home, and Danton barely even registers Ryan's presence in the press box. Not that he would ever really notice the press box from down on the ice, anyway. 

Most days, he hangs out with a few of the guys, just like old times. Today, he's at Matt's apartment along with Sean and Anders. Matt said he didn't want to play NBA 23 again, launching a debate about which game to play that Danton isn't sure will ever end. 

"Dude, we just played Grand Theft Auto last week," Sean is saying. "And no, it doesn't matter if it's a different version."

"But the cars, bro," Matt says. "Don't you want to steal shit?"

"I could get behind that," Anders says. 

"Fuck you," Sean says, his cheeks reddening just the tiniest bit. Danton almost laughs, but figures he'll save it for when Sean actually gets mad. "Danton, what do you want to play?"

"Uh…" The truth is that he'd like to play something chill, like Minecraft or The Sims, maybe even Animal Crossing, but none of those are actually available in Matt's apartment, nor are they the best for multiplayer. "Grand Theft Auto sounds fun."

"What?" Sean yelps over Matt and Anders' victory cheer. "You don't even like that game! You just like playing Minecraft and shit!"

"Minecraft?" Matt laughs. "First you move to the suburbs and now this? You like building houses or some shit?"

"I don't know, it's alright? But I hated having to drive everywhere and the commute was terrible," Danton says.

"Cheers broski, I'll drink to that," Anders says. "Fuck suburbia."

"City life or bust," Sean adds. 

"You know, I always thought Ryan had a real stick up his ass," Anders muses. "Like, a fancy marble stick, but still a stick. He just didn't know how to have fun and he, like, definitely didn't understand any of my jokes."

"What's the point of a Harvard education if not to understand the ways of aitch?" Matt adds.

"I think he felt like we were excluding him every time we made an inside joke," Sean says. "Like bro, not our fault you don't think we're funny."

"People have said that about me, too," Danton chimes in. "But it's kind of funny, you know? I know it's not true and you all know that. But Ryan, God, I'd have to convince him just to socialize with the team half the time. The other half he'd be throwing parties for his high school friends or whatever. Like, it's an important part of hockey to make sure you get along with your team, and he just. Doesn't care."

"Guess it's good you got out," Matt says. "He gives local kids such a bad reputation. Fuck that."

Sean laughs. "Well, it's not like we have any shortage of them on the team. I think, if anything, he gives Harvard a bad name."

"Fuck Harvard!" Matt yells. "They deserve it!"

"Fuck yeah," Anders adds. "Are we going to play, though? I want to steal some fucking cars."

"How many random NPCs are you going to run over while driving on the sidewalk?" Danton asks. 

Anders grins. "Somewhere between 69 and 420."

"Let's do this shit," Sean says, surprisingly no longer upset about losing the game choice. 

Not long ago, Danton would have dwelled on the conversation, thought at length about how stupid he was for ever falling for Ryan. Why would he ever go for someone who doesn't even want to hang out with his teammates? How could he ever like a guy who doesn't think Anders is the funniest guy on the planet? 

He gets absorbed in Grand Theft Auto pretty quickly, though, the mention of Ryan no more than a blip on his radar. Maybe it's safe to say he's moved on. 

-

He doesn't think much about moving. He knows, intellectually, that he can't just live in Jake's spare bedroom forever. Jake chose to rent an apartment by himself for a reason; he surely wants his privacy back at some point. Danton doesn't want to deal with the stress of moving during the season, though, and he really likes Jake's company. Sometimes he'll bring Danton a bowl of Oreo O's cereal before he even gets out of bed, and while it's certainly not on the diet plan, Danton has to admit that it's damn good cereal. And Jake bringing him breakfast in bed is even sweeter than the food he always eats. 

One morning, Danton is eating the Oreo O's that Jake brought him, and he hears Jake's phone buzz as he walks away. He picks it up to answer the call, and Danton really doesn't mean to listen, but Jake's voice is pretty loud and there isn't any background noise to block it out. Danton listens while he eats his cereal only because he doesn't trust himself to eat cereal in bed while using his phone. 

It becomes evident pretty quickly that Jake is talking to his mom. This could take hours, but Danton will be done with his cereal by then, so he can go for a walk or something.

"Yeah Mom, I know, can you believe it's been two years?" He must be talking about Charlie. Their anniversary had been a few days ago. "Yeah, yeah, I know… I probably would've asked, but no rush, you know? I'll probably do it once Danton moves out, but I don't want to rush him. Yeah, no, it's cool. We have our whole lives. Yes I'm sure!"

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Jake wants to ask Charlie to move in with him. He would've already done it if not for Danton living in his space. 

Even as nice as Jake is, as much as he says he doesn't want to rush Danton out, he knows that it must pain him to put off moving in with his boyfriend.

But he really, really doesn't want to go apartment hunting during the season.

_Hey, can I come over?_

Sean's reply comes back almost instantly. 

_Ofc. Anytime_

-

"What's up?" Sean asks as soon as Danton gets to his apartment.

Danton walks in and drops onto the couch, letting out a long sigh. "I have to move."

Sean comes over to sit next to him, closer than necessary, but not close enough to be touching. "Did Jake do something? I'll kick his ass."

Danton laughs. "No, he'd kick _your_ ass. He's been so kind, but I overheard him talking to his mom about how he wants to ask Charlie to move in with him as soon as I'm gone. I don't want to be a burden anymore."

"Whoa, hold up. You're not a burden. Jake definitely doesn't think that."

"Well, maybe not consciously," Danton admits. "But he would've already asked Charlie to move in if not for me living there. I'm not a wreck anymore, you know? I can handle moving. Being on my own."

"Okay," Sean says. "Have you talked to Zee?"

Danton looks away. "No."

Sean nods. "So you're not really ready to move, then." It's not a question.

"I mean - yes? Like, I can handle it. I just don't want to go apartment hunting." 

"What makes you so sure Charlie wants to move during the season?" Sean asks. He has a point. "Maybe Jake asks him now to plan to move in during the offseason and you also move out during that time." 

"That does make a lot of sense," Danton acknowledges. 

"You should talk to him," Sean says. "Then you can find your own place this summer."

"Yeah," Danton replies. They're both quiet for a long moment before he dares to say what he really wants to say. "But it'd be so much easier to move in with another teammate."

Sean's eyes widen a bit. "Well, uh, I mean, you could ask around…"

"You have a spare bedroom, right?" Danton asks. "I mean, not to imply that you have to take me in, or anything, just, uh, if you want to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I do have one," Sean says. "It doesn't have a bed, though. We'd have to get you one. Or share again."

It's the first time either of them have acknowledged the time they shared a hotel bed since it happened. 

"I did like that," Danton admits, barely above a whisper. 

"I… yeah, I mean, yeah. Me too," Sean says.

"Uh, we could get a bed, though, I guess," Danton says. "But I'd like sharing."

"We could," Sean says. Danton notices that his leg is bouncing up and down, probably has been for a while. "Okay, I'm sorry, and I’m probably going to regret this, just - are you flirting with me?"

Danton momentarily forgets how to breathe. 

"Uh… maybe, yeah, I - I guess I am. I mean, if you're into that." 

Sean nods, not taking his eyes off of Danton. It's a little unnerving. 

"I, uh, I can stop-"

"No, no," Sean cuts him off. "I'm definitely, uh, into that. I kind of really feel like I'm dreaming, actually. I'm just not sure - I mean, are you? Like, are you okay with this? For sure?"

Danton takes a moment to think. He hasn't thought too much about his feelings for Sean, but over the past few weeks it's become clear that there's something there. He's sure there has been ever since the time they shared the hotel bed, maybe even before that. 

"I think so," he finally says. "When I'm around you, I feel safe and comfortable, more so than with anyone else. And I know I don't talk as much as the others, but I love to talk to you, and I - I feel like you always listen, always treat me like every word I say is important, even when I'm just going off about the Sedins or whatever. And I think - I mean, I know maybe it's weird, maybe it's too soon, but I know I want to be with you."

"I don't think there is a 'too soon'," Sean says after a moment. "It's just whatever you feel. And I've wanted to be with you for so fucking long. I thought - I mean, I was happy for you and Ryan, but I tried so hard to suppress my feelings and I know I told you that you should've talked to me more, but some of that is my fault for pulling away, and I just - I feel like I've been given a second chance. And maybe that's shitty of me, but I want to take it, but I don't want to do anything you aren't absolutely sure you're ready for."

"Well, okay, maybe moving in together is a little too much right now," Danton smiles. "But I'm ready for… this." He moves over on the couch, coming closer to Sean until they're right next to each other, and slowly, watching as Sean leans into it, he leans in to kiss Sean. It's short, and sweet, and as soon as they break apart Danton already wants to go in for more.

"God," Sean says. 

"No, it's me, Danton."

Sean laughs, and Danton is close enough to him that he can _feel_ it.

"Shut up," he says, pulling Danton in for another kiss. 

-

It's easy to get distracted by kissing, especially when the experience is somewhat new, and while the weather is mild enough that Danton could easily drive back to Jake's right now, he doesn't really want to. The sun has already set, and he hates driving in the dark.

"You could just stay over," Sean says. "Honestly, it'd be kind of poetic, considering how this whole thing started. Just to cuddle, though."

They haven't done anything more than kissing and cuddling on the couch, but it's been a dream come true. 

"I'd love that," Danton says. 

"And hey, maybe this summer we can look for some places with year-long leases for you. Just in case you want to move in the year after."

Danton kisses him again.

Later that night, with Sean's arms wrapped around him once again, he thinks, not for the first time, that the pieces of his life are finally starting to fall into place. And this time, he's more sure than ever before that it's the right place.

**Author's Note:**

> Playlist and cover art can be found [here](https://cjmasim.tumblr.com/post/627282978099314689/fic-25-better-homes-and-gardens-ships)!


End file.
